In 1943 (August 30) the first quarterly summer school commencement, Little Commencement, was held in Ayres Hall, increasing the number of annual commencements to two. However, the institution continued to have only one formal graduation for all, regardless of when course work was completed. The university had instituted a summer commencement at the close of the summer session on August 31, 1923.
In November 1943 President Hoskins announced that, at least for the duration of World War II, four commencements would be held annually. The first commencement held under this program was December 18, 1943, at which 55 degrees were awarded. Quarterly commencements continued from that point, changed to semester commencements when the university returned to the semester academic calendar in 1988, and then were reduced in number by elimination of the summer commencement in 2001. Mr. Harry Moskos, retiring editor of the Knoxville News-Sentinel, was the commencement speaker at the final summer commencement.
Spring 1958 was the first time UT held its spring graduation ceremonies on one day instead of two. Both the baccalaureate sermon (10:45 a.m.) and the commencement (3:15 p.m.) were held on Sunday, June 1.
Spring commencement ceremonies were replaced by ceremonies in individual colleges on a temporary basis in 2007, and the ceremonies were permanently replaced by college commencements in spring 2008.